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The Garden Connection
Flowers with lace in the names of a variety
Camellia - Black Lace
Hydrangea - Burgundy Lace and White Lace
Wisteria - Lavender Lace
Begonia - Chantilly Lace
Delphinium - Blue Lace
Acer - Red Lace
Heuchera - Lace Ruffles
Sugar Snap Peas - Sugar Lace
Christmas the other side of the pond
A lady picking through the frozen turkeys in the grocery store unable to find one large enough for her family, asked the butcher
“Do these turkeys get any bigger?” the butcher replied
“No Ma’am they’re dead!”
Thought for the day
If nothing sticks to Teflon, how do they get the teflon coating to stick to the pan?
Did You Know?
The English origin of the word lace owes something to the French lassis or lacis, but both are connected with the earlier Latin laqueus.
Early French laces were also called passements; the name applied to ornamental open work formed of threads of flax, cotton, silk, gold or silver, and occasionallyof mohair or aloe fiber, looped or plaited or twisted together by hand.
The most ancient specimens of lace in existence are pieces of knotted hair nets found in the tombs of Thebes and other parts of Egypt, some of which date back as far as 2500 BC. Several of these nets are adorned with tiny porcelain beads and figures strung amongst the meshes.
Bobbin lace and embroidered laces have been recovered from Egyptian Coptic tombs of the 3rd to 7th centuries AD.remains in the Coptic bombs indicate that the bobbbin laces were made not on a pillow with pins, but on a wooden frame with pegs to hold the threads apart. Today we refer to this type of lace as Sprang Weaving
The Language of Fans
Sent in by Coral Fry
Fans have been used to convey messages during times when the strict rules of behaviour did not permit conversation to take place freely. The first organic fan lanfuage appeared in Spain, this consisted of 55 movements with specific meanings. Later translated into English and reduced to 33 coded signs.
a selection follows:
Held in the right hand in front of the face - Follow me
Held in the left hand in front of the face - Desirous of acquaintance
Placing it on the left ear - I wish to be rid of you
Drawing across the forehead - You have changed
Carrying in the left hand - You are too willing
Twirling in the left hand - You are watched
Drawing through the hand - I hate you
Twirling in the right hand - I love another
Drawing across the cheek - I love you
Presented shut - Do you love me?
Drawing across the eyes - I am sorry
Touching the tip with a finger - I wish to speak to you
Letting it rest on the right cheek - Yes
Letting it rest on the left cheek - No
Open and shut - You are cruel
Dropping it - We will be friends
Bursary Report by Susan Piccionio
I was very surprised when my name was drawn as one of the “winners” of the 2006 bursaries, but I had no hesitation in knowing how to put it to good use. When we went to Bruges I noticed some small pieces of old lace in a shop window which were labelled “Rosaline”. This lace particularly caught my eye as it was fine and pretty.
I had picked up a Great Escapes brochure at our 2005 Lace Fair and noticed there was a weekend course on Rosaline lace at Salisbury in November so I booked straightaway.
The course was held at Sarum college which is a large Georgian house built as a theological college in the Cathedral Close.
We all met up on the Friday afternoon and after an early supper got started.
There were 7 students plus Judith Cordell the tutor. 3 of us had not worked this technique before but we were all used to making Honiton lace.
Judith explained that Rosaline lace is one of the Flemish laces and is a piece lace worked with a maximum of 7 pairs. There are only 9 motifs, 2 fillings and no coarse threads. Picots are occassionally used but tiny needlelace couronnes often feature.
All articles are made combining the motifs and some very attractive pieces can be achieved. Everything is very small and worked in 120 thread, bobbins are wound singly, except when adding a pair, and the start and finish techniques are quite unlike anything I'd ever done before! You put the pins in as and when required and it took quite a bit of effort not to put them too close together and to keep the tension correct, so in this respect it is like Duchesse lace but because you only use 7 pairs the finished motifs appear more delicate.
Saturday afternoon was a free period so we were able to explore the surroundings before getting together again for supper and then more lacemaking.
We were heads down again early on Sunday and carried on after lunch. By the time we had to stop in mid-afternoon I had managed to complete 4 motifs and another on the pillow and came away with a load of pattern ideas, courtesy of Judith.
Before leaving we had a farewell cup of tea when Jane, the organiser, presented each of us with a Sallie Reason commemorative bobbin.
I thoroughly enjoyed the course which was well organised and friendly, Judith was an excellent tutor, the surroundings were comfotable and the meals delicious.
Thank you Tonbridge Lacemakers for the very generous contribution to the cost of this weekend.